Customs Wagon hunt may be OVER!!! 1952 DeSoto wagon is HOME!

Brian, that dash is killer! like the entire car, good work.
just one question: how did you manage to go 115mph inside the garage?

 

Hahaha! The speedo sweeps to that, not zero when the ignition is on. I have to call "Instrument Repair Services" and see if it will reset to zero when the gauge is calibrated. The stupid clock, that I spent $200 on, ran for a day and quit, so that has to go back.

 

My instrument shop screwed with my clock until they finally gave up and refunded my money. It had to run 48 hours straight before they would say it was repaired and it would never do it. At least its correct twice daily now.

 

If your speedometer cable is to long it will put pressure on the speedometer magnet and press the speed cup
causing the needle to stick. Check the bottom end, it should stick out from 3/4's to 1 inch., no more. At the top it should stick out 3/8's of an inch passed the ferrule. Unless that is that is it was converted to electric?

 

There is no cable.

 

The fun part is over, on the tedious priming, blocking, priming, blocking part. I am VERY happy with the shrinking disk set I got, I don’t know how I’d have fixed the roof otherwise.
The fabric we chose came, getting enough hides from one dye lot has been an issue, but supposedly they’ll come this week. The upholstery guy thought he’d have the seats a month, which gives me plenty of time to get it in primer and jammed.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Looking good!

 

Looks great Bryan!

 

Nice job

 

Looking forward to seeing this one come together!

 

To the upholsterer we go! It took a while, but enough cows finally died to get leather...

 

4 hides, 5 yards of fabric, off to the upholstery shop we go.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

So you’re saying you’ve got it covered?[emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Oooooooohhhhh man!, that is painful!

 

Love the dash in that wagon & the upholstery is sure gonna pop. There is just something about a cool wagon....look'n good. Hey, that would be a neat name, "LOOK'N GOOD", for that car, if you're into that.
.02 cents or nonsense......

 

Well, let’s see if this works...


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

We have brakes! I’ll no doubt have to adjust proportioning valve, but it stops the rear wheels now, so, I’m counting at least a partial victory!

 

Love that hounds tooth pattern!

 

Some people name their cars, we never have. Even though my "cool" cousin Ricky had "The Wanderer" painted on the quarter panels of his '62 Chevy Biscayne 2 door post in1968...

 

The guy doing our upholster called and he's gotten started on the seats, and would need the kick panels and the sun visors (which I'd completely forgotten about). So I had to get busy and make kick panels, which meant I had to spend an hour under the dash looming up the harness out of the fuse panel. It's a job I was putting off, but it had to get done. I started sanding door jambs to get them painted before the headliner goes in. He's going to come to my shop, set up and make that and the carpets. Busy, busy!

 

Ready for primer. Whew, what a job.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

FINALLY! I got primer in the wagon! Only one small issue, how did I not notice until JUST now that I missed filling this rocker molding hole? [emoji849][emoji23]. Just trying to stay humble I guess...


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

It's always something, isn't? Wagon looks great though!

 

Wagons are always cool way to go

 

Now I just have to do this two or three more times.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Brian, the wagon is really taking shape, is the rear side glass fixed or does it slide? HRP

 

I like that lift. Makes a world of difference being able to get the work up to a more comfortable level, eh? I've gotten too old to put my butt on the cold concrete floor and work a rocker panel.
Wagon's looking great! Gotta admire your workmanship and enthusiasm.

 

It's fixed, which is fine with me. I made the ones in the Pontiac one piece as I didn't like the sliders. I like the rear door vent windows, whether they'll ever be opened or not is debatable. No one makes new rubbers for them, they're pretty dry, so I may seal them shut. The front's look new, so I'm not replacing them. The car has A/C, so they should be fine.

 

Nothing like getting it in primer after what feels like forever in prep before that. Looks great! And, missing the hole sounds like something I would do...but what also keeps me humble too...

 

Hole? What hole? There were a couple other spots that needed more attention, some very small that showed up blocking with the two different colors of Feather Fill, but the top of the right rear fender had a “wow” that I felt blocking. I believe I’ve got it now. Tomorrow I should get everything wrapped up and another couple coats of Feather Fill on those places.
I took a windshield half to the glass shop as I’d laid the glass in the back, then leaned in and put my hand on one piece, which snapped it over one of the stainless rub strips on the birch floor. Duh.
I think I’ll have an installer come out and put the glass in. I’ve done it, but I’m alone, it has to be assembled with the stainless trim then set. I’m not as young as I used to be, I’m not sure I can handle it over the hood.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.